Characterization of cytotoxicity of airborne particulates from urban areas of Lahore

A number of species (organic and inorganic) in airborne particulates cause the toxicity to living being. The potential of in vitro test methods were explored for toxicity assessment of trace toxic elements (inorganic species) present in ambient air on human being (lungs). A year long sampling of airborne particles (PM_2.5) was carried (April 2008 to March 2009) in Lahore, Pakistan. A total of thirty nine samples were collected on 47 mm Zefluor Teflon filter membranes and each was analysed to characterize for the elements: Sb, As, Be, Cd, Cr, Co, Pb, Mn, Hg using ICP-MS in water extract and total acid digestate. The samples cytotoxicity was also established using lung derived cells and MTS colorimetric assays. This generated dose response curves and IC₅₀ values for the elemental mixtures identified on the Teflon filter membrane. The results indicated that even at low concentrations airborne elemental mixtures displayed an additive toxic effect.     

Modified accumulation of selected heavy metals in Bt transgenic rice

Safety assessment of genetically modified crops generally does not take into account the potential hazard of altered patterns of heavy metal accumulation in plants. A pot experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions to evaluate the impact of heavy metal amendments on the accumulation of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in a Bt transgenic rice Ke-Ming-Dao (KMD) and its wild-type Xiushui 11 (Xs11). In control soils, significant di erence was only found in contents of Cu (p < 0.01) and Pb (p < 0.05) in straw between KMD and Xs11. At three levels of Cd amendments (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg), the Cd contents in grain and straw of KMD were significantly higher than those of Xs11, and all grain Cd contents were significantly higher than the International Criteria (0.2–0.4 mg/kg) as specified by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). These results implied that it may be unsafe for growing Bt transgenic rice in heavily Cd-polluted areas. No significant di erence in Zn was found between the two varieties with the exception of roots at Zn amendment level of 600 mg/kg, while Pb contents in KMD were much higher in the straw at the lead amendment level of 1000 mg/kg and in the root at 250 mg Pb/kg. Data on the heavy metal accumulation patterns for the genetically modified rice may be used for the selection of growing areas as well as for plant residue management for Bt rice.     

基于施工环境负荷的施工环境因素的识别与控制

为了减少施工阶段环境污染,推行绿色施工,本文提出了施工环境负荷来量化和比较施工操作对环境的影响程度,从而识别施工阶段的重要环境因素并对重要环境因素制定了相应的控制对策。     

云南珍稀濒危植物的保护现状与对策

对云南自然环境、珍稀濒危植物的特点和保护现状进行了阐述,并对如何更好地保护与研究云南珍稀濒危植物提出了对策和建议。     

昆明地区珍稀濒危植物及其保护对策

对昆明地区分布的珍稀濒危植物的种类、分布、保护现状进行调查。结果显示：昆明地区有珍稀濒危植物42科54属55种,其中真菌有1科1属1种,蕨类植物有3科3属3种,裸子植物有5科7属7种,被子植物有33科43属44种。通过分析昆明地区珍稀濒危植物的种类、生活习性、地理分布特征、保护现状及其濒危原因,提出了相应的保护对策。     

硅藻土的改性以及处理重金属废水的研究进展

硅藻土作为一种良好的吸附材料,已被广泛应用于各种污水处理中。硅藻土具有独特的表面结构与优异的吸附性能,通过对硅藻土吸附原理的研究,很适合于作为吸附材料应用于各种工业污水的处理。在简单介绍硅藻土的基础上,综述了近年来国内外在硅藻土改性方面的研究,以及对重金属离子污染物吸附的研究进展,并展望了其未来的发展趋势。     

放射性废物治理浅析——以广东省某稀土厂为例

稀土矿是放射性伴生矿,其生产过程中产生的废渣伴有较强的放射性,属于危险废物,需要妥善处理。本文以广东某稀土厂为例,总结放射性较高的优溶渣、镭渣的处理措施,按照国家和地方环境保护法律、法规的要求,提出这些废渣及在处理废渣过程中产生的废水的最终处理方式。分别为：综合利用后刺余废渣进行暂存,镭渣经水泥固化后送坑道封存,增加重晶石吸附（除镭）工序,降低废水中的总α、β。通过这些治理,实现明显的环境效益和社会效益。     

COMPARISON OF TRACE ELEMENT CONCENTRATIONS IN TISSUE OF COMMON CARP AND IMPLICATIONS FOR MONITORING1

Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) collected from four sites in the Red River of the North in 1994 were analyzed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), selenium (So), and zinc (Zn). Concentrations differed among liver, muscle, and whole body. Generally, trace element concentrations were the greatest in livers while concentrations in whole bodies were greater than those in muscle for Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn, and concentrations in muscle were similar to whole body for As and Se. Concentrations of Cr were lower in liver than either muscle or whole body. Correlations between liver and whole body concentrations were stronger than those between liver and muscle concentrations, but the strongest correlations were between muscle and whole body concentrations. Examination of tissue concentrations by collection sites suggested that, for a general survey, the whole body may be the most effective matrix to analyze.     

Evaluation of the levels and sources of trace elements in urban particulate matter

An assessment of air quality of Belgrade, Serbia, was performed by determining the trace element content in airborne daily PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 samples collected from a central urban area. The ambient concentrations of Zn were the highest in PM_2.5 (1,998.0 ng m⁻³). Multivariate receptor modelling (principal component analysis and cluster analysis) has been applied to determine the contribution of different sources of specific metallic components in airborne particles. The obtained results showed that vehicle traffic and fossil fuel combustion in stationary objects were the main sources of trace metals in Belgrade urban aerosols.     

基于尖点突变模型的地铁深基坑土压力预警阈值研究

为提高地铁施工灾害预警的准确性和可靠性,将尖点突变模型引入地铁施工灾害预警阈值的研究中,建立基于时效影响因子的地铁深基坑土压力尖点突变模型。该模型利用突变流形分析系统的平衡和临界状态,通过势函数突变点临界值确定预警阈值的大小,为地铁施工灾害预警工作提供科学依据。通过实例分析,计算出考虑时间效应的土压力预警阈值。结果表明,地铁深基坑土压力尖点突变模型消除了计算过程中的人为因素影响,并能反映基坑土压力突变的特点。当然,在实际工程施工中,需要对预警阈值进行及时的重新修正,以适应外界环境和技术的不断更新变化。